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Oak Park (Green)
Not thrilled... but if you offered to pay, I'd probably go back. My fiance and I stopped in to celebrate after making an offer on our first home. It looks like a cute place and we'd been meaning to check it out. And it really was cute inside. All of the staff was friendly and we felt at home :)
As we sat down, I ordered a very expensive (and to my surprise, very small) glass of wine. He had a Peroni (even though that wasn't what he ordered, but the wait staff took off too quickly for us to say something). My dinner was OK. Stuffed something or other, a dish the waiter suggested for me. But his pasta carbonara was not OK. It tasted like butter, bacon, and a pinch of pasta. It was so rich, more than three bites would make you sick to your stomach. I'm not sure if it was just an off night, a new chef, or just an old batch... but whatever it was, it was a disappointment.
Doesn't mean I'll never stop in again, but like I said, I sure won't be the one paying! I do wonder... is the deli any good? The front of the shoppe was cute and there appeared to be some tasty treats under the front counter...
VERY mediocer. (Hope that's spelled right!) The food is just ok, I think it just squeaks by. The wine also just squeks by. I love the outdoor area. It's fairly large, and really the only thing that is saving this place. One time I went in here to get an iced coffe to go, the guy seriously had NO IDEA how to make it. WOOOOOW. The portions are pretty big, but the indoor dining room really isn't. The tables are WAY to close together. The staff is allright. The owner though, is a very nice guy. Geppetos has better food, but this place has better service. Your better off at salernos really.
I always walk by this restaurant since I work one block away, but I never have tried it until today. I had carry-out Pizza, and this was the worst pizza I ever had. No taste, seems like it was either too old or the oven used to re-heat was very dirty. Big dissapointment, next time I will walk a little more to just eat at Geppettos
The mushroom ravioli is amazing. If you like heavy and rich you'll like this. When I first started going there I think they used to bake their bread fresh, but I could be remembering wrong. However now they use Turano, which is still good for what it is but can't compete with fresh baked bread. The staff is always very nice and attentive. Many have worked there since the beginning. The storefront also sells imported Italian food goods and some prepared take-out items.
I've never actually sat down to eat here but now I'm considering it. The Pasta Shoppe has just introduced nightly specials during the week. For example: Buy two meals get one free or buy one adult get one kids meal free. I can't remember what nights these are on. The one I remember and took mental note of was:
Thursday- $4 Bellinis and Mimosas
I stop in to get paninnis or soup to go and sometimes fresh pasta. It's good food on the cheap.
Very cute and cozy place.The lighting and decor in the place makes it feel very warm and welcoming. Also very family friendly (I rather enjoyed the toddler with spaghetti sauce smeared across his face). The front of the restaurant is part specialty store (of Italian and other treats) and part grab and go consisting of some of the menu favorites.
I enjoyed the ravioli stuffed with chicken, spinach and cheese in a cream sauce. It was awesome! and very filling I might add. The staff was very attentive and patient (with a couple of indecisive ladies)
They also have nightly specials (thursdays..half price Bellinis..oh yeah!)
The best thing about this place was the friendly waitstaff. The food is just average, at best. The appetizer bread was hard (I suppose that could be interpreted as "rustic") and the oil was almost like corn oil; I could barely tell it was supposed to be olive oil. Prices are a little high for pedestrian fare.
"Leave me alone, Im carb loading. Cant you see Im training for the marathon here?!"
Yea that excuse isn't going to cut it since the marathon has come and gone and I surely didn't run it. But I needed some excuse to cover up why I eat so much of this places delicious pasta.
The shop in the front of the store sells some amazing pasta and sauces for you're culinary feats at home, but when you just wanna eat now, eat in the restaurant. Yum!
One of my favorite lunch spots in Oak Park. Such a cute place and we love that it has both a cafe and a little shoppe full of homemade pastas, desserts, and other delicious Italian bites.
The location is a huge selling point. Not only is it nestled in the heart of downtown Oak Park, but it's right off of the green line for those coming in on public transportation, and adjacent to one of Oak Park's downtown parking garages for those driving.
Summer is a great time to check Pasta Shoppe out. They've got one of the best outdoor patios in the area...you can easily find yourself sitting there for hours, just watching people walk by.
My husband's become friends with one of the owners there so we always get great service. I'll be honest, however, and tell you -- there were times before that where the service wasn't what we had hoped for. The value of connections!
Pasta Shoppe isn't a fancy place but is a great spot for someone looking for well-portioned, fairly priced food. I would categorize it as an ideal lunch spot but probably not somewhere you'd intuitively think of for dinner. Great appetizers and sandwiches. Their latest menu addition, Neopolitan-style pizzas, are also really good.
Once the sun is out consistently, you'll find me on their patio.
The Pasta Shoppe (Shoppe?) may have an affected name, but inside there is some pretty good grub. The fam and I went for dinner last night, in a bit of a rush, and got out in less than an hour.
The front of the "shoppe" is a sort of Italian deli/carry out, with the dining area in the rear. In nice weather there is also seating in the outdoor courtyard.
I ordered the pizza margherita, which I expected to be made in the authentic Italian style, with tomato slices instead of sauce. It arrived looking like a typical American style, with sauce and mozzarella. It was still yummy, with a freakishly thin crust and that slightly burndy wood-fired taste.
Hubby got the pasta arrabiata, which was molto spicy, and the boy got Chicken Carlo -- a lightly breaded chicken breast, pounded thin, with a light sauce, served with a delicious aglio e olio (oil and garlic) pasta on the side.
The pasta served at the Shoppe is all freshly made and quite well prepared. The service is prompt and friendly. The location right in the center of downtown Oak Park with plentiful parking in the nearby garage can't be beat. Not a good place to get your drink on, however. The servings are very small for the price.
Warm friendly wait staff. Side patio is was nice and quiet. Food is well priced but I felt it was slightly lacking (had the ravioli, was just "okay"). Go for the ambience and expect a decent meal that isn't necessarily going to be memorable.
Unremarkable, sloppy food. Watery tasteless sauces, overcooked pasta, dry bread. At least it's close to the parking garage -- its only redeeming quality.
Fortunately, Gaetano's is nearby (in Forest Park), for those interested in real Italian food.
We went back this week for the first time in over a year.
And the love was still there and rekindled as soon as we passed the door. Like when you go back to an old lover after wandering around for a while......the same but just a little bit different to keep the interest fresh and alive.
The menu was slightly modified but still offers a solid pasta fare. We started off with a delicious complimentary bruschetta that was worth notice. I am usually not a big fan since most of the times the bread comes so hard and dry that it doesn't really good along with my sensitive gums but that one, yes that one was good. Crispy but just enough and topped with fragrant basil, fresh tomato dices and creamy ricotta.
I couldn't resist the special: orecchieti with clams, rapini and sausage. It was delicious - sweet and spicy, with subtles notes of fennel and garlic.....all of that complimented by a nice little chianti....WINNER!!
I am a pasta-worshipper.
Oh Oak Park I hated you. From the bottom of my heart. But even in the…
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I stumbled upon this place a couple of months ago on an unusually warm fall day. The pup was with us so we asked if we could sit outside, to which the waiters responded with great enthusiasm. Another dog friendly place - check! Outside seating is along a corridor that leads to the parking garage, but somehow it all works with a slight European feel, albeit a little bit plasticky.
I'm a sucker for fresh pasta. It's not everyday that you eat at an Italian restaurant that serves fresh pasta in the first place, much less specializes in them. So of course we had to try the pasta, and they were quite wonderful indeed. Fresh but still al dente, these pasta dishes are one of a few times when I don't feel like I can make the same thing at home at a fraction of the cost. We had one with the garlic and oil and the other with the arrabiata, and both were fantastic. We also ordered a side of vegetarian soy meatballs which were surprisingly good. Since I've never seen or had anything like these soy meatballs before (and I consider myself a faux meat expert!), I can only assume that they were made in-house. The soy meatballs were a little grainy and dry when paired with the garlic and oil, but with the arrabiata it was pure heaven.
I'll be sure to come back especially when summer rolls around again.
Good food on the most part. My mother always made Neopolitan pizza at home, and this is pretty good. However, very disappointed in recent take away order, as well as how management handled the situation. Usually portions are generous for the price, but in this case, they changed the items, and shrank the portions for the desserts (but not the price!) I only realized this once home. When I went back to complain, management insinuated that I was lying and embarrassed me in front of the other patrons. After some discussion, he admitted that there were occasionally specialty desserts, which is what probably led to the mix-up with my order. I still don't appreciated the condescending tone and manner with which we were treated. Like the food, and it's right in our area, but probably won't go back after this.
Cozy little place. Every pasta dish I've had here I found almost too rich to finish. ALMOST. Love the little Italian deli section up front!
I rode my bike here to have a relaxing lunch alone.
I sat myself near a window because I wanted to feel the sun. The waiter quickly came up to me and pour me a glass of water with lemon already in it. I ordered some chicken soup while I decided on my meal. The soup was chunky and flavorful. I decided on the eggplant ravioli they didn't have pesto sauce on the menu so I asked if they would be able to do it. He said yes and it came out as I was finishing up my soup. That pesto was so fresh and perfect!! It was great. I can't wait to go back
The only thing despite the fact that I was sitting by a window the place was really warm inside. I can't remember if they put outdoor seating in the summer. I hope so.
I was cursing The Pasta Shoppe & Cafe on my way to a lunch meeting today because I was having some issues finding it. No, it's not difficult to find...I'm just directionally challenged & apparently so is my new garmin. But once my not so handy dandy garmin and I found The Pasta Shoppe I was a fan.
It reminded me of Corner Bakery, but oh so much better. And by oh so much better I mean better food, better service, cleaner (so apparently better cleaning staff)...and it's not a chain! I rushed by the counter of delicious looking salads, pastas, and other food to a table in the back where the rest of the party was waiting for my arrival.
Although I was late the service was prompt and came right over to take our order. There were so many different choices from the menu- a caprese salad, the gnocchi (oh wait, not wedding diet friendly), or the tilapia sandwich (sold!). The tilapia sandwich on country bread was absolutely delicious and even came with a small side of some sort of pesto pasta, which made me happy being the carb lover that I am.
I don't make it to this area of Oak Park too often, but definitely the type of place I'd be stopping by often if I lived in the area. I'd probably be visiting the prepared foods counter daily due to my lack of culinary skills.
Overall: it's good, but nothing really special enough to go out of your way to come here, but a must if you live/work in the area.
This is one fo the few places open for lunch on a SUnday in Oak Park where you can sit outside.
Everything was very fresh and tasty. I had the proscuitto cotto (less cured and more ham-like) with artichokes and mozzerella on grilled bread and chicken veggie soup. The sadwhich came with some of their fresh, hand made pasta.
This was a fantastic light lunch for a decent price.
I love this place! The pasta tastes homemade and the seafood seems pretty fresh for a poor old midwestern town like Chicago. Everyone at our table loved their entrees, except for one who had a special of cheese-filled pasta that way extremely rich - I concurred, I couldn't have finished a tenth of it.
It's got everything you need: great calamari, good bread, solid entrees with fresh pasta, nice sauces, comprehensive wine list, knowledgable servers and rich desserts. Casual and relaxed.
And my favorite thing - outside umbrella tables in the pedway.
My mom lives in Aurora, and I live in the city, we decided to meet somewhere in the middle. I've only been to Oak Park a little and my recollections were of some cute quaint areas and I asked my boss who is from there where to go for some food and wine. He said the Pasta Shoppe.
It was perfect. It was a Tuesday night, so it was really quiet, the servers were really sweet and even the owner was there and stopped by our table to check in. The food was excellent! I wasn't even expecting that much honestly, but after I asked for just a plate of olives and these amazing huge assorted black and green olives were served to me on a bed of greens I knew I was in for some specially made food. We shared a Margharita pizza and Gnocchi with a simple olive oil and garlic sauce.
The pizza was great, and I'm talking Coal Fire great.
The Gnocchi was soft and melted in your mouth. mmmmm
The olive oil was noticeably tasty and the bread fresh.
The deli when you walk in was really cute, and I ended up getting an individual eggplant Parmesan for my husband. The deli guy told me exactly how to reheat it and even gave me a free little container full of the marinara sauce. I didn't try it..but it did disappear fairly fast and he was really impressed.
I'll be back for sure, there was a bunch of stuff on the menu that looked interesting, especially some of the other handmade pastas and the tilapia dish. Glad to have found it, looking forward to meeting my Oak Park friends there for some nice meals.
Great food - love their freddo misto app which has cheeses, deli meats, stuffed peppers, etc. - sometimes I order it as my meal at lunch.
Their pasta is good & they have many good sandwiches as well.
Their take-out food from the deli is great for dinner.
So, Andrea R was completely dead on with her review of this place - "Overall: it's good, but nothing really special enough to go out of your way to come here, but a must if you live/work in the area." (I really need to start listening to her more!) :)
I did make a special trip here and I have to say it really was not worth the gas used. I think if I lived near here and was able to take advantage of the take out and the little grocery store it might be a different story, though.
We came on a Friday night and sat outside. The exterior seating was OK, but it almost seemed like an afterthought with the awful, hard plastic chairs and the umbrellas that didn't match. Service was definitely understaffed with our server *running* from table to table and giving us the barest minimum of attention. We were given a small basket of bread and a tiny saucer of oil & cheese which was never offered to be replenished. (Oh and water which was only refilled once throughout the entire dinner.) Andy M's dish, the Chicken Carlo, and mine, the spicy red pepper linguine with meat sauce, took much longer to arrive than it should have. His dish was far superior than mine, with a nice, lemony flavour to the breaded chicken. My dish was heavy, with a sauce that tasted like it was missing a crucial ingredient, like salt or oregano or something, and the pasta was overcooked. I ordered the drink special, the peach Bellini, and it was very small and arrived lukewarm.
The shop was cute though and I did buy some frozen pasta to use at a later date. Maybe in my kitchen, with my sauce, it will be a more improved experience with The Pasta Shoppe.
The Pasta Shoppe is a great place for so many reasons. They have a fantastic patio in the summer. The food is always fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. Plus, my favorite bonus about the place: they have a deli/store in the front of the restaurant where they sell the most delicious take-home Italian food items. I buy their homemade frozen pastas frequently. They offer so many varieties of ravioli (Lobster, Zucchini, Veal, etc). The Pasta Shoppe is one of my favorite restaurants in OP.
I really wanted to love this place!! I have always been a fan of Downtown Oak Park. And the Pasta Shoppe & Café is right in the middle of it. Carolynne R. and I sat in the outside patio on a Beautiful summer night, so the setting was perfect.
I noticed something was wrong as soon as we sat down. The chairs in the outside Patio area were awful. They were those cheap plastic things you would find in the closeout area at Wall-mart. Minus two stars for the service. Our server worked his ass off, and I tipped him quite well, but whoever made the schedule that night should be chewed out. Our server was working 4 tables including two large parties of eight. He kept a smile on his face, but he was totally overwhelmed. The atmosphere was pretty low key and a bit disappointing. There were so many elders at this place that I felt like I was attending a Lawrence Welk Reunion.
The food was actually quite good. I ordered the Chicken Carlo, which was quite tasty. Carolynne ordered a pasta dish that she enjoyed as well. But the slow service put a damper on the night. Carolynne and I don't ask for a lot, but neither one of were impressed by this place.
My final thought on the Pasta Shoppe & Café is this. If I lived near by, I would frequent this place as a source for good Carry out food. But If I was looking for a dining experience, I would look elsewhere.
We went on a Monday night and it was fairly quiet. Surprisingly thought there was a good amount of people there. It was a nice night, so we decided to sit outside. For starters we ordered the grilled calamari which was pretty tasty. I ordered a Bellini drink and husband got a beer. It was good, but rather small and pretty expansive.
Hubby got the spinach ravioli and a side of meatballs which was also filled with spinach. I don't like ravioli, but tasted the meatballs and they were pretty good.
I had a pasta dish with shrimp and alfredo sauce, it wasn't the best I've ever tasted. I wish I had gone for the marinara instead. I felt that the pasta was bland, maybe it was my choice of noodles? I don't know. I plan on returning to try other things on the menu though. The service was good, I hate when the waiter or waitress hovers over you and she didn't so it was a wonderful experience.
I have been here three times: once for drinks/dessert, once for dinner, and once for take-out. All three times I have been pleasantly surprised!
For drinks, my friend and I ordered the special, which I believe was a peach champagne, which was delicious. We each also ordered dessert. I was very impressed with the chocolate truffle and the souffle.
Their pasta is delicious since it is made there. My favorite part about the restaurant is that you can purchase bags of the uncooked pasta to make at home!
This place would have generally received 4 stars in my book, but let me tell you why I am giving it 5 stars. It has vegetarian soy meatballs, people. And they are very, very good. I was so delighted to learn of this that I repeatedly refer carnivores and noncarnivores alike to eat here just so that it stays in business so that when I go out for Italian food I can actually have some protein with my meal. The arrabiata has a kick, but is quite good, as is the marinara. I am quite fond of the spinach linguine, as well as the tomato basil pasta noodles. The salad uses an excellent fresh vinegar and oil dressing, and the veggies are always fresh and crunchy. The decor is cute, but I've noticed that it can get a little noisy when it is really busy. You can talk, but I wouldn't try and have a super important conversation on one of its busier nights.
Amazingly delicious! :-P You gotta get the chicken carlo! YUM! GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is awesome! It is pricey, but it is worth it.
Awesome fresh pasta and sauce! Very clever of the owners to make you walk past the deli case to get seated in the restaurant.If you have to wait to be seated,you HAVE to drool over all the yummy things in the display case(you can take home fresh pasta,sauce deli,etc.,). I loved them when they were on Harlem in the city, but the new and improved Pasta Shoppe is way better! If you love fresh,this is the place to go. If not ,maybe you would like Olive Garden!!( horrors!!!)
Overall a great local place to dine, I've been there going on 10 times. I really enjoy the place, the food I find to be excellent, and the service is always quite good. During the Summer months there is an outdoor area to sit, and if you're coming from downtown it is a very short walk from the Green Line stop. I can't rave about this place more, but I may be a bit bias as it is so close to home. Finally they make a great fresh pasta and there is a deli in the front of the place for those who may on want to take it to cook at home or just feel like a quick gelato. Enjoy the outside with a great bottle of wine and great service.
Although a little expensive, this place has a wonderful atmosphere, excellent food, and a friendly staff. I was amazed at the pasta selections- I wanted to try all of them. The dish that I ended up ordering was wonderful, and plentiful. I was also impressed with the wine offerings. I can't wait to go back!
First walking in it has the feel of a neighborhood deli. However, there is plenty of seating, and it turns out they have a full menu of Italian cuisine, from pasta and salads to anti pasti. It's not super cheap, but the portions are a good size. Yes, the girl in the photo was stalking me, but don't worry, I was able to shake her eventually.
I really was wanting this place to be better. First off a male server introduced himself and said he'd be our waiter tonight, and then we were actually waited on by a female. The meal itself wasn't really that great. Mine wasn't too bad... cheese tortellini with a combination alfredo and marinara sauce, but my wife's Chicken Carlo was not very good and had a very odd taste. The tiramisu was very good though. I'm kinda mixed, but I think I'd try it again, minus the wife's dish.
Wow! The pizza is amazing. They import the dough from Naples and use a real pizza oven - also from Italy. For once, pizza that claims to be "authentic Italian" really is. The waiter greeted many of the customers by name, and the owner is charming. They have a great wine list and the frutti di bosco was perfect. A great neighborhood spot - can't wait to come back and try some of the pastas!
I found the food here to taste really fresh and the portions of pasta were quite large. The walls are nicely painted and there was ever opera music playing.
Their food is great, but I'm not sure the price was worth it. A little too costly for my tastes. If you're a big fan of freshly made pasta though I wouldn't discount this restaurant. It serves pretty good food.
Great pasta, sauces, and service. Stick to the homeade pasta and you can't go wrong--the specials can be hit or miss. Nice atmosphere with a patio.
I thought the food was good. My husband and I both fell in love with their spinich calamari salad. Great outdoor dining area in summertime.
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